African Trypanosomiasis Research at a Crossroads: Bibliometric and Systematic Insights for the Future

Despite a reduction in the overall incidence and prevalence in the last two decades, trypanosomiasis continues to be a public health concern in Africa. This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate current trends in trypanosomiasis research using bibliometric approaches to uncover emerging topics and knowledge gaps, thereby guiding future investigations, particularly in Africa.

Relevant articles were systematically selected from the Scopus-retrieved dataset and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and the Bibliometrix software. A total of 4036 documents were analyzed.

The results revealed the involvement of 8849 authors, 696 sources, and an annual growth rate of 3.52%. A period of rapid increase in trypanosomiasis research was observed after 1973. Kenya and Nigeria were the leading countries in African trypanosomiasis research. The most relevant affiliation was Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, whereas the most relevant and impactful sources were the Acta Tropica and PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, respectively. Similarly, Buscher, P. emerged as the most relevant and impactful author in the field. Some notable keywords observed are trypanocidal agents, prevalence, parasitemia, and polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, themes such as antitrypanosomal and molecular docking represented the recent research interests.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of research output and evolution on trypanosomiasis in Africa and highlights critical ways forward in combating the disease, such as the One Health approach, strengthening health systems and capacities, and improving diagnostic and surveillance tools across African nations in addressing African trypanosomiasis. These findings are crucial for directing future research on African trypanosomiasis.